


A Dusky Chronicle

by verymerrysioux



Series: The Legend of Zelda: An Isekai Journey [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Original Character(s), Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:15:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22519114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verymerrysioux/pseuds/verymerrysioux
Summary: Link wonders if the princess has future sight. He's heard that the queen sees visions in her dreams, it's not a stretch to think her daughter has similar abilities. How else can one explain the knowledge she has? Or her accurate predictions of what's to come?She's a little odd, but perhaps that's a quirk the royal family has.
Relationships: Link & Midna & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Midna (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Series: The Legend of Zelda: An Isekai Journey [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709500
Comments: 23
Kudos: 167





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [EstaJay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstaJay/pseuds/EstaJay) and [Okami_no_fude](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami_no_fude/pseuds/Okami_no_fude) for beta reading my fic!

This is how her world changes. She is chosen by her people to be their next ruler. She prepares for another day under the gentle glow of twilight, a new day for her as its princess. She is cursed by one of her rivals, her people are cursed for choosing her, and the twilight she calls home is cursed to a poisoned and corrupted form.

She escapes and leaves her home.

This is how his world changes. He is chosen to deliver gifts for the royal family. He prepares for his trip, his first time going to the capital. His friends get kidnapped, he tries to find them. A monster finds him first.

He is dragged into twilight, transformed into a beast, and taken into an adventure.

* * *

When they arrive at the queen's room, they find that they're not alone. Near the balcony are two people deep in a hushed conversation. 

Midna lets out an exaggerated cough and they turn at the sound.

He assumes the woman in the ornate dress is the queen, the crown on her head is a big giveaway. He's not sure who the hooded figure is though.

The queen looks at him, then at Midna, assessing them. The hooded figure is silent, he can't see their face but he feels their stare. If he wasn't a wolf, he would have been shuffling his feet at the scrutiny.

She looked at them with a raised eyebrow, head high and back straight. If it weren’t for the bleak scenery shown through the windows, one would have thought the queen was just having a calm and peaceful day. Nothing looks unkempt, her dress is impeccable, and she looks unfazed by the black creatures that sometimes fly by outside.

Here she was, living in a castle that was dark, crumbling, and filled with monsters. And Link can only describe her expression as mildly irked.

"I wonder if this is my hubris," she murmurs. "That I have to rely on children to fight my battles."

Now it was Midna's turn to be irked. "Do I look like a child to you?" 

The queen smiles, eyes crinkling in amusement. "When you're my age, everyone is a child."

"You're not that old," the hooded figure says softly. Link twitches at how high and light the voice sound. "You're barely an old woman in my books."

"That's kind of you to say, but I know these past events have taken a toll on me." She and reaches out for her companion, pulling down the hood, revealing a young girl with dark brown hair. "Just like it will for you, and I am deeply sorry for that."

She looks like the queen, minus her composure.

"What? I'm not-!"

"You are, even just for this journey," the queen says, looking at the girl. "I'm sorry I pulled you into this, but I know you'll push through it."

"This is a joke, right?" The girl whispers, eyes wide. "I… I'm not the one-! It should be you! You're the-!"

"I'm a foolish old lady who was too much of a coward to risk the comforts she was born in," the queen tells her. "I don't know how to fight, I've forgotten how."

"And you think I do?" The girl asks, voice getting higher and higher. Link can hear her breaths becoming quick and shaky. "I've never used a sword or bow in my life! I can't fight!"

"I've seen your life, you fight in the way that counts, in ways I wouldn't think of," She tucks a stray strand behind the girl's ear. "That's why I chose you."

Chose?

"There’s nothing to fear, you have everything you need here." She taps on the girl's forehead playfully. "Find the springs of the golden goddesses, they will give you what you need to access your powers."

The girl blinks. "... I have powers?"

"Oi," Midna cuts in. "Hate to break this touching moment." Link doubts it. "But shouldn't you be worrying about other things?" She gestures at the soft orange glow of the twilight seen streaming from the balcony.

"Wolf," the queen addresses, ignoring the question. "I have a request to ask of you."

"Link," the girl corrects, and he twitches, how did she know his name? "And the girl is Midna."

How did she know their names?

"Link and Midna," the queen says. "Could you bring my daughter with you? If she's discovered, it will end only in death."

* * *

This is how her world changes. She chooses a game to play. Feeling nostalgic, she picks a childhood favorite. She boots her console, inserts the disk, and lounges on her couch, expecting to binge on some games the whole day. It’s a weekend, she has no work, she can do what she wants.

She has no time to scream as ribbons of light shoot out from her TV the moment she starts the game.

* * *

Midna hums, eyeing the girl. "And what's in it for us? Why should we babysit the princess?"

Link growls. Midna pats his head. "Down, boy. I agreed to help you, I didn't agree to help anyone else."

The girl bites her lip. "I know things, things that can help you."

"Oh?" Midna gives a condescending smile. "And what would a little princess know that could help me?"

She tugs on her hair, glancing at the queen then back to Midna. She inhales. "Killing Zant won't be enough to break your curse."

Midna's smile freezes.

"He… he had help," the girl continues, fiddling with her braid. "It's why he could outmatch you. If he dies, he'll just be revived."

"Who's helping him?" Midna demands, floating towards her. _"Who?"_

The queen steps between them. "Take my daughter with you, then she will answer your questions."

Midna glares, the queen gives her a cool stare, the girl fidgets.

Link has no idea what's going on.

Midna snorts. "She can come with us, but if she can't keep up, that's not my problem."

The queen smiles.

* * *

This is a dream, she mentally repeats as she follows a familiar-looking imp and wolf in a familiar-looking path that leads to a familiar-looking village. 

This is a dream, she tells herself as she finds a mirror (in a familiar-looking treehouse) and sees her face—same but different. She has blue eyes and pointed ears. She never liked contacts, and she can feel her fingers as they touch the tips of her ears.

She pinches and pulls hard, it hurts.

“This is a dream,” she whispers as the wolf attacks several flying bats (keese?) with his teeth.

“This isn’t a dream!” The imp (she should call her Midna) snaps. “Let that sink into your pretty little head and get over it!” She punctuates each word by poking her chest. “I don’t have time to babysit a pampered princess,” she sneers. “And if you can’t keep up, I’m leaving you to handle this nightmare on your own.”

The imp (Midna) turns and floats away, she looks back and glares at the wolf (she should call him Link). “Well? You have your friends to save, don’t you?”

The wolf (Link) growls, she pats his head. His fur is soft (real). “She’s right,” she murmurs. “Don’t think badly of her, she has a lot at stake as well.”

* * *

"Did you find a sword and shield?"

"Yes, no thanks to you, princess," Midna huffs. 

"A wolf and an imp is stealthier than a grown hu-... hylian," the princess points out. "I would have been more trouble than help. Besides I wasn't just waiting around and doing nothing."

She raises her arms with a flourish, showing her outfit underneath her cloak. Gone was the long white dress she was wearing, replaced with a tunic and pants. She still kept the pauldrons and the pink top.

Link narrows his eyes, were those his clothes?

The princess looks at him and shrugs. "I knew your house wouldn't have anyone inside," She says sheepishly. "So I borrowed some of your stuff. Just your clothes and a map, I swear!"

He stares at her.

"And maybe some food?" She adds. "I was really hungry."

He's not going to ask how she knew where he lives, it's too much energy at this point.

Not that he can anyways, he's a wolf.

* * *

This is how their adventure is told. A goatherd takes up a sword to save his friends. A bastard child becomes the symbol of hope the kingdom needs. A princess, dethroned and humiliated, rises up to be a champion of both shadow and light.

The goatherd is lauded as a hero and knighted, the bastard is crowned a princess, and the princess regains her rightful throne.

It's a beautiful tale; inspiring and epic.

But it lacks a few grains of truth.

"A harp." Link carefully backs away, not liking Midna's tone. "Her kingdom is under siege by a madman and his beasts and she gives you a harp?!"

"She also gave me a sword?" The princess holds up said sword, offering it meekly to Midna.

Midna looks at it like it spat on her mother's grave. "It's _flimsy._ " 

"Just because it's not a buster sword, doesn't mean it's useless," the princess sniffs. "It's a rapier, it's all about finesse and precision."

"Do you know how to use it?"

There's a long silence, then a nervous laugh. "Do video games count?"

She yelps as a blast of black particles shoot near her feet and joins Link in running away from the irate twili. "Do you even know what video games are?!"

"Your answer pisses me off and that's what matters!"

(It lacks several grains of truth actually.)

* * *

"You still haven't told me who this helper of Zant is,” Midna says.

She looks up from her experimental plucking of the harp. "His name is Ganondorf. Gerudo male, good in magic and combat, very intelligent and manipulative, and he has the triforce of power."

"... That's all you know?"

"Sometimes he turns into a giant overpowered pig?"

She bristles at the twin stares of disbelief. "We just met a giant goat-wolf spirit! Why is a pig so hard to imagine?!"

Really, she turned into an imp and he turned into a wolf. Is a man turning into a pig that unbelievable.

"... Do any of you know how to play a harp?" Another hesitant pluck echoes. "I figured out the notes but I'm not sure I'm holding it right."

She gets more stares for that. 

* * *

"We should split up," the princess declares. "We can find the tears faster that way."

Link and Midna look at each other. "And how will you be able to find the bugs without Link's senses?" Midna asks dryly. "Or hold the tears without the vessel?"

The princess smiles, and brings up her hand, showing a tear-shaped gem glittering on her palm.

"How…?"

"I tested a theory on our way here," she explains, letting the tear float towards the vessel of light. "I know the locations of the tears, and the bugs still show signs of where they've been even if they're not in this realm. It's just a matter of predicting where they go and then-" She thrusts her hand forward. "-stabbing them with my sword."

Link blinks, was that why she had stabbed the ground? He thought it was pent-up anger, he wouldn't blame her.

"Where do you keep the tears?" Midna asks.

"They, uh, kinda go inside me?" The princess scratches her head. "And then I think really hard about wanting them out and they just do?"

Midna stares at her, then at Link, then looks up at the twilit sky. "I don't know if you're a genius or a moron."

"That's fair."

* * *

This is how the triforce works: it enhances what already exists in a wielder. Power becomes stronger, courage is increased, and wisdom is enriched.

Wisdom, in her case, is the knowledge she has about the two people in front of her.

She knows she shouldn’t remember this much about (the game) the area, about the (characters) the people and (lore) history. Memories, crisp and clear, come to her as easy as breathing.

And this is merely the tip of the triforce-shaped iceberg. She knows her thinking is faster, sharper, less cluttered. She knows she should be in a deeper state of panic than this. She knows it’s not normal, for her anyways, to learn things like playing a harp in the span of a few days. Especially the hectic days she’s been having.

The triforce is an amazing and terrifying thing, she understands why people want it so desperately.

* * *

The princess draws a crude map on the ground, pointing out where the tears will be. 

"Let's meet here." She circles an area that Link recognizes as the path to the Forest Temple. "I don't think I'll be able to reach those tears, so I can give you what I have and you can get the rest."

"What's in that area?"

"Poison fog, or something like it," the princess hums, tapping her chin. "I don't have anything that can push it away, so you and Link will have to traverse through it via the trees."

"Trees?"

"Teleporting a wolf is easier than teleporting a wolf and a h-hylian, right?"

* * *

Don’t treat it like a dream, she repeats to herself. Holding her sword up and willing herself not to shake. She eyes the approaching monsters warily.She could do this. As long as there’s no shadow beasts, she should be fine. 

She doesn’t know if there’s a game over and continue option if she dies, and it wouldn’t be wise (hah) to assume there is.

Though then again, a wiser choice would be to stay safe, wouldn’t it? Let the hero handle the quest while she finds a way back?

 _But_ , a tiny voice whispers in her mind. Young and excited. _Where’s the fun in that? Why waste this chance for a real adventure?_

(Don’t treat it like a dream.)

She lets out a cry as she dashes forward, thrusting her sword to another wiggly shadow vermin.

(But don’t treat it like your old life either.)

* * *

The games never show the bloodier aspects of things. Get hit and you lose hearts, that’s all. Reality paints a grittier picture.

Her clothes are dirty, her arms are riddled with scratches, and she knows she’s going to feel sore tomorrow. Link isn’t doing any better. The black fur hides it well, but saying he was battered and bruised while running around in the castle, figuring out his new body, would be an understatement.

Midna’s showing some sluggishness too. Exhaustion from using magic, probably.

She makes the decision to have a break, not above whining so all of them can have a brief moment of respite, and Midna must be tired if she doesn’t argue as much. 

She takes the time to clean the dirt off of Link as best as she can. He may be a wolf now, but that doesn’t mean he has to lick his own wounds like one.

They make sure not to wake Midna.

* * *

Link lets out a whoop of joy as he sees he's back in his original form again. He can talk! He can stand upright! He has thumbs!

He has a hat? 

He doesn't remember wearing a hat. Or chainmail. Or a green tunic. Or everything he's wearing in general.

 _This tunic once belonged to the hero before you,_ Faron whispers in his mind. _His spirit is your spirit, his power is your power._

He nods, acting like he understands the cryptic speak. He's had enough practice as a wolf to do it effortlessly.

"You looked more fearsome as a wolf," Midna chimes in his shadow.

"I think it suits you," the princess pipes up. "You look very dashing."

Link turns and grins. "Thank you, your grace." He bows. That's how to greet royalty, right? At least, that's what the mayor crammed in his head when he was chosen to deliver the Ordon sword and shield.

"A-ah, please don't do that!" The princess waves her hands frantically, her face a bright red. "I don't really merit that kind of address! Just my name will do!"

“Your name?” He blinks. “Is it really okay to call you Zelda?”

The princess blinks. “Zelda?”

“Or Princess Zelda, if that’s too much,” he adds quickly.

“Princess Zelda,” she repeats faintly. “I… oh, god.” She lets out a breathe. “Uh, Zelda’s fine? I guess? I can be Zelda?” 

Midna snorts, and Link can imagine she’d be saying more acerbic words if she wasn’t lounging in his shadow.

“I can be Zelda,” she insists. “Sure! Great! I’m just gonna… gather my thoughts now.” She turns and walks away from the spring, mumbling to herself.

Link and Faron look at each other.

 _The goddess-blood can be odd_ . Faron shrugs. _It’s their otherwordly nature._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are differences in what she knows and what's actually true.

They decide to go back to Ordon to get supplies. 

Well, she decides to go back to Ordon to get supplies and dragged the two of them with her.

Midna wants to head to the Forest Temple immediately to get the Fused Shadow, Link wants to start looking for the kids, she wants a bath and a nap. But hers is rather trivial, and so she doesn’t voice it. 

The other two are a different story.

It’s odd to see them fight, she thinks. Especially Link. She’d always picture him as a rather mild person, letting himself go with the flow so to speak, but that’s probably because Link didn’t talk at all in the games.

She sighs, feeling every bit of her age in front of the two teens (and damn, they are teens) bickering. She finds a rock to sit on and brings out her harp, idly strumming. They probably need to let off some steam anyways.

Minutes later and the two are still shouting. About what, she neither knows nor cares. She’s started practicing songs from Ocarina of Time while they were arguing (because why not, it seems appropriate). The two have a lot to talk about for people that only met days ago in a dungeon. 

She should intervene now, they’re wasting time. 

She finishes the last note of the Song of Storms and jumps when she hears a sharp and booming clap.

She looks up.

And widens her eyes as a small rain cloud floats above Link and Midna, scorched grass next to them indicating that the sound she heard was lightning.

Huh.

Well then.

She plays the Song of Storms again.

"Both of you need to cool off," she says, tone and smile genial. The melody flows in her fingers as freely as the rain is flowing on them. 

And because the two are finally quiet (too busy gaping at her), she adds, "I doubt we can do either, we're tired and underprepared."

She points out they're low on food and water, and she's out of healing potions. A feat in itself, she'd ration it as much as she could.

They need to rest and restock, and Ordon's as good a place as any to do that.

Unlike the games, there's hunger and thirst to worry about. She has to consider things with more care than what she’d done in the game. A game over is permanent, there’s no save file to go back to.

The two agree with her reasoning and start their walk back to Ordon. 

(Or perhaps they didn't want to argue further as the rumbling of thunder got louder in the angry dark puff she summoned.)

* * *

While Link had a magical bath and change of clothes courtesy of Faron, she didn't. 

So she's desperate to wear something that doesn't feel like she's been running around in sweat and muck for days. And more desperate to wash herself.

Which means borrowing more of Link's stuff and his bathroom, much to both their awkward dismay. She's starting to feel like a moocher and Link? She feels it’s just dawned on him that he has the princess of Hyrule in his house.

She can’t fault him for forgetting that fact, she does it too.

"It's not the best," Link admits, looking like he wants a shadow beast to take him away and end him. "I can heat some water and you could use that."

"I've had cold baths before," she assures him. Granted they were showers and not a large drum of water and a dipper, but still. "I don't want to inconvenience you any more than I am, it's fine."

"But-"

"Link, I don't need anything extravagant," she huffs. "I lived in a-" Plain, borderline Spartan apartment. "-simple house before all of this."

Link gives her a doubtful look. "If you say so," he sighs. "I'm going out to check the village, you'll be alright by yourself?"

"Yes, yes, now go.” She gives him a grin. “Unless you want to watch me bathe?"

She swears she hears Midna cackle as Link rushes out of the bathroom.

* * *

Refreshed and wearing a clean set of clothes, she takes this moment to finally think about what’s happened to her. 

She brings out her harp and idly plucks on the strings, letting her thoughts wander.

Was this a dream? The sensations feel real, her thoughts aren’t fuzzy, and while there’s magic and monsters thrown at her, there’s a depth of law it follows that makes it far too grounded to be a dream.

If it was, it’s a very intense and deep one. What she sees is vivid, what she feels is intense. Pain exists. She’s not finding out if it follows a Matrix-esque logic where she’ll die in real life if she dies here.

Was this in the world of a video game? Signs point to yes. She skimmed Link’s map and the blatant “Hyrule” on top of it would have been a giveaway.

What’s she supposed to do now? 

She doesn’t know where to start. It's occurred to her she's in a world where nobody knows her and she knows nobody. What happens after this adventure? Will she survive this adventure? Is it really her right to join Link’s adventures in the first place? What if she makes everything worse? Can she go back home? 

Panic bubbles in her gut, slowly rising. Then her hand glows, spreading warmth all over her body, a wave of serenity washes away the writhing mass of emotions in her.

(She wonders if Link’s hand glows too, does he get a rush of courage?)

She takes a breath and asks herself, what can she do? She has knowledge, and that’s come in handy for Link’s quests so far. She doesn’t turn into an animal when in Twilight, and she imagines that’ll be useful for things like opening doors (which she remembers was a frustrating thing to deal with when she played and didn’t have that stone yet).

She can play the harp, kind of. She knows where the notes are and can pluck a simple tune. Which could be useful? She can summon an angry cloud at least (she’s not bothering with any time-related songs because she’s watched and read enough time travel fiction that doing that could be Very Bad).

What  _ can’t  _ she do?

She snorts. “A whole lot.”

She’s not Link, who knew how to use a sword even before the Hero’s Shade appeared. She’s not Midna, who can do magic as easily as breathing.

She’s not the original Zelda, who can heal and shoot light arrows. She barely knows how her powers work, beyond being a living container of a light spirit’s tears and making mini-storms.

Hell, all of her work experience is useless here, isn't it? Link has a farm to fall back to and Midna is an actual princess. She doubts there’s a demand for people who can make powerpoints and excel sheets. 

Why did the queen summon her? Random video game facts are hardly a rarity in her world if that’s what she needed. She's just a woman who had a boring office job. 

There were better people.

(The queen had a bad draw, she should have chosen someone else.)

“Right.” She puts down her harp. “I can start with gaining some skills.” Fighting, at least, is something she needs to learn. Even if she wasn’t joining Link’s quest, there’s still danger here. The usual monsters in Hyrule.

She looks at her bag, an honest-to-god magic bag of holding, something the queen gave her, and reaches down to bring out a notebook. She digs deeper and finds a dip pen and a bottle of ink.

"I'm already missing ballpens," she sighs, opening the book. The queen packed her many things in the bag besides potions and food. The sword and harp, a wallet filled with rupees (she had wheezed when she checked the inside), a really ornate bow, a knife, and a lot of books and writing materials.

She hasn't had time to sort through the books, but based on the few titles she saw, it's mostly about the history and culture of Hyrule. She's definitely going to need that if she doesn't want to look like an ignorant ass.

"Okay, let's make a list," she mutters, dipping the pen on the bottle and slowly writing on the page.

Her letters are shaky, smudged, and blotted with wayward drops of ink.

"... This will take a while."

* * *

It takes a while for Link to check on the villagers. To update himself on what's happened while he was off trying to survive as a wolf, saving light spirits, and bringing a princess he never knew existed to his home.

He wonders what's become of his life that he can say that and not be joking.

The only good news, if one would call it good news, is that Rusl was the only one injured when the bulblins attacked. Ilia and the kids are still missing, and he has nothing to rely on besides his new wolf senses to find them.

It's better than nothing.

He wonders if the princess would have any insight in this. She was able to predict where the tears are, after all.

Who was he kidding, why would she know the whereabouts of a couple of village kids?

* * *

He finds her sitting on the floor surrounded by papers and books, mumbling to herself and writing in drunken cucco scratch.

She looks up. "I’ve been thinking about your friends," she says, his surprise must be obvious because she raises her brow and adds, “You’ve been helping me, the least I can do is help you.”

She looks back down and he realizes she’s been staring at his map. It was littered with scribbles, letters he couldn't understand. "If the kids escaped then they're likely in Kakariko Village."

"Likely?" He asks, watching in fascination as she pulls out a huge tome from her bag, flipping through the pages quickly.

She chews on her nail. "I've discovered my, er, visions may not be accurate," she admits. "The queen gave me a book about Hyrule and some of the events conflict what I've pla-seen." 

She shakes her head and sighs, pointing at an area on the map. "I don't remember a Gerudo Town here before."

He raises an eyebrow. "What did you think it was?"

"... An execution ground."

That's as far from a town that he can think of, and also rather morbid.

"I do think the chances of the kids being in Kakariko are high," she murmurs, tracing a route from Ordon to Kakariko. "The bulblins would likely raid the nearest village after, there's a possibility that they'd be rescued there."

"What about Castle Town?"

"Ilia's there," she replies, scratching her head with her pen and looking at her notes. 

Did he ever mention Ilia's name? 

"She's, oh, she must be how the kids got to Kakariko! A distraction perhaps? Maybe-! Agh, this is hard to write with." She groans as a blot of ink stains half of the sentence she wrote.

"What language is that?" He asks, leaning to get a better look. "It doesn't look Hylian."

"It's not." She stops writing and looks up. "Since you're here, do you want to arrange inventories?"

"What?"

"Inventories," she repeats, putting her book down. "It'd be easier to keep track of what we have and what we don't if we pack together."

He blinks. "You mean my bag?"

"... Yes?"

"Why didn't you just say bag?"

She blinks, stares a bit, then blushes. "I'm used to inventory."

"You call your bags inventories?"

"Shut up."

* * *

Packing with the princess is an interesting experience.

She empties her bag, meticulously arranging her items in one neat row. Books, a harp, a sword, a bow, some knives, and a few pouches he can't identify what's inside.

"Do you want my empty bottles?" She asks, peering through a violet pouch. "I feel you'd get more use from it than I."

"They enchanted?"

"Uh…" She looks lost. "I don't know."

He raises an eyebrow. "Mind if I check, then?"

"Sure." She gives him the pouch and, goddess, the cloth felt too rich for his skin. He can hear the magic woven into the fabric like a soft choir of bells.

He looks inside and widens his eyes at the amount of potions inside. "I thought you said you're out of potions."

"I'm out of healing potions," she corrects. "I'm not sure what the others do so I didn't touch them."

Fair enough. "Well, they're definitely enchanted," he says, bringing one empty bottle out. It wasn't glass, maybe a kind of crystal? Goddess, these were stupid fancy. "Anything will last longer inside them."

"Nice, do you want them?" She gestures at his stack of items. "You can probably use it to store oil or milk."

He chokes.

"Or not?"

"That's-oil? Really?"

She furrows her brow. "You have a lantern," she points out. "It wouldn't hurt to have an extra bottle of oil."

That's true, but still. "Wouldn't refilling it with potion be better?"

"Can we buy some here?"

"... No."

"We could probably put soup inside too, if you think oil's too much," she muses. "Or just water."

"Soup and water."

"You're sounding really dubious, is there a bottle etiquette I'm breaking?"

* * *

"By the way, how much do you think these rupees are worth?"

He looks at the wallet and wheezes.

"That much, huh."

* * *

"Midna's been rather quiet, hasn't she?" The princess comments, looking at his shadow.

He looks as well. "I think she's sleeping," he says.

Can she sleep in a shadow? How does that work?

"She did use a lot of magic." She frowns. "Has she eaten at all since we've met?"

He remembers Midna always refusing when the princess offers to share her food. "I don't think so."

"We should leave her some food," she murmurs. "I'd rather she not starve out of stubborness."

He hasn't been with Midna for long but he feels that's something she would do.

"Speaking of food." He glances at the window. The sun’s light is getting dimmer. "I should probably cook dinner."

She perks up at that. "Can I help?"

* * *

The princess is surprisingly decent in food preparation. She keeps away from the fireplace though, eyeing it warily. She waits for him to light the coals and place the pot before mixing ingredients.

That's fine with him, he'd rather not have his house burn down by accident.

They leave a bowl of soup and some bread for Midna.

* * *

"Have you ever been to the Forest Temple?" She asks, stirring her soup idly. 

He shakes his head. "There was never a reason before."

She eats a spoonful and swallows. "I'll draw a map then, hopefully that'll help. And some notes on the puzzles and traps.” She tilts her head.”It shouldn’t be hard, I don’t think you need a guide. But better safe than sorry."

"You've been to the temple?"

"Not really."

* * *

They both look up from what they're doing when they hear the familiar chimes of Midna popping out.

"Had a good nap?" The princess asks, carefully placing her dip pen on a piece of cloth. She doesn't want blots of ink ruining her map and making her draw it again.

Midna yawns. "Better than seeing you two do errands." 

She laughs. "We could have done exciting things."

"Oh, yes, my adrenaline's racing as I see you write and wolf-boy over there doing-... why are you filling crystal bottles with soup?"

"There’s no potions, so I'm going with soup," Link replies, face solemn as he ladles more soup in the bottle.

"Those words made no sense." 

"Leave some bottles for oil," the princess reminds. "We're going to use your lantern a lot before we enter the temple."

That made even less sense.

"We left some soup for you, by the way."

* * *

Midna floats over to her and peeks at her notes. She wrinkles her nose. "Is that really how you Hylians write?"

"No," is Link's immediate reply.

The princess frowns, red staining her cheeks. "It's not that bad," she mutters. "I just need more practice."

* * *

They argue about who gets to sleep on the large bed cushion Link uses to sleep.

She’s fine with having blankets on the floor and a pillow, repeating again and again that she doesn’t want to kick Link out of his own bed. On the other hand, Link doesn’t want a guest sleeping on the floor (especially if said guest is a princess).

In a fit of brilliance and impatience, Midna throws all of Link’s blankets and pillows on the floor, declaring they’ll all sleep there and be done with it.

Link thinks it’s less drastic than making it rain and calling lightning, so it’s an improvement for him.

* * *

It's late at night when she hears howling.

She stirs, the howls getting louder as time passes. She groans, getting up and blinking away the sleep.

She looks to the side and sees Link and Midna, fast asleep. The howls get louder, and she wonders where they're coming from if it's not Link doing it.

She stands up, slowly so as not to disturb their haphazard nest of blankets and pillows. 

Grabbing her bag, she tiptoes towards the door and opens it. The howls are louder. She glances back and sees Link and Midna are still sound asleep.

They must be more tired than they thought, if they can sleep through that noise.

She steps out.

The howls stop.

She hears nothing. Not the click when she closes the door, not the rustling of leaves from the trees near Link’s home, not the soft taps as she walks around the small balcony.

She doesn’t hear her own gasp as she looks down to see a golden wolf, nor does she hear the wolf’s bark at her, a wordless demand to follow him.

The wolf leaves.

She goes down and follows him.

She doesn't hear the crunch of sticks and leaves as she treks through the woods, she doesn't hear the birds sing, she doesn't hear her own breathing.

They arrive at the bridge to Faron Woods, and she wonders if the path had always been that short. She knows Link's house is near the woods, but it hadn't seemed that near. There was a dirt path, and then Ordona’s spring, and then the bridge.

She doesn't hear the creak of wood as she crosses the bridge, nor does she hear the rush of water from the river below.

They keep walking. The woods are dark but the golden wolf leaves a soft trail of light that she follows. 

They arrive at Faron's spring. 

The golden wolf lies near the spring, head resting on his front limbs. He gives one look at her, as if saying "Well, do I have to lead you all the way?" and closes his eyes. Sleeping, or pretending to sleep. She's not sure.

She stares at the wolf, then at the spring. A statue sits in the middle. A statue of a woman. Eyes closed, smile serene, hands clasped in a gesture of prayer. She looks peaceful.

(There is a thought, fleeting and quiet, that asks if there had always been a statue.)

She wades through the spring. The water soaks her clothes and the splashes echo, cutting through the silence.

She's in front of the statue (and another thought comes, as fleeting as the last, that asks where the spirit of the spring is).

A voice, a tiny whisper, enters her ears. 

"What?" She asks, nothing comes out. "I can't hear."

The voice whispers again.  _ Listen _ , it says.  _ Do you hear the wind? _

"No," she replies. She has heard nothing but the spring and the voice.

_ Listen,  _ it insists.  _ You're Hylian now, listen like one. _

"I don't know how."

It laughs, amused.  _ Then what have you been doing with your harp all this time? _

A shift of weight on her arms makes her look down. She blinks, she's holding her harp.

(There is a thought, another question, but it is drowned by a memory.)

She holds it up.

(The memory of her plucking the strings idly, a game of matching the tune she hears from her companions.)

She closes her eyes.

(Midna's is slow and soft, almost haunting, regret clinging to every sorrowful note. Link’s is quick and sharp, familiar somehow.)

She plucks a string, the sound echoes. She plucks another, and another, and another. Eyes still closed, she listens. Finding something, anything, that would resonate.

(The Twilight is quiet, even when monsters roar and cry for their blood. Her ears twitch, trying to catch sounds that aren’t there. There is something deafening about the still quiet of the realm.)

There’s no pattern. Her notes are dissonant, her rhythm erratic, every sound made is made with a question. Her method is madness, the equivalent of running in blind. Brute force, because sometimes that’s the only way.

(It’s during these silent moments that she practices the harp. Plucks each string and listens to the note, memorizes it. She plays her own game of matching the note to the sounds she hears.)

Something resonates.

(Something matches.)

She pauses, letting the note fade.

She does it again.

(And again.)

And again.

_ Nature is wild _ , the voice says, weaving through her clumsy melody.  _ It has its own pace. Their melody is made by existing. Growing.The wind is much the same. A short breath, a gentle breeze, a forceful gale.  _

_ Listen to the wind, learn how it plays, and offer a song to the goddesses. _

_ Your next quest shall help you in that. _

_ Now wake up. _

She does.

* * *

They leave before the sun rises, too early for even the birds to start their morning song, too dark that Midna doesn’t stay in Link’s shadow until they arrive at the cave that leads to the forest.

The princess had woken them, already wearing her armor and pack secured on her waist. She’d left Link’s hero clothes (as she’d call them) next to him, folded neatly. His sword and shield were placed nearby.

They don’t complain. Link wants this over with so he can search for his friends. Midna wonders what benefit the princess has for getting it done soon.

The princess sings the whole trek, plucking on her harp and humming a nonsensical tune. The intricate braid she wore is gone, having no idea how to replicate it, she stuck with a loose ponytail. 

Midna wants to take away that blasted harp and throw it over a deep ravine. It’s only the memory of that odd (light-filled) magic she displayed that makes her wary (curious).

“You have any words of wisdom to give us this time, princess?” She asks instead, lazily floating between her and Link.

The princess stops humming. She turns to them and grins. 

“Be nice to the monkeys,” she quips, each word punctuated by a sharp note from her harp. “And don’t be alarmed if a golden wolf lunges at you.”

Midna wonders if she’ll ever understand the insanity these Hylians possess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, nay, or meh?
> 
> I'm a bit unsure with the dream part but it's a thinky thought I've had for Zelda. And I wanted to try writing a dream without blatantly stating it's a dream.


End file.
